Ranting...

Some quick hit thoughts that I don't have time to put into a full blog post:

- first, if I've been sending you the email version of this blog, and you aren't getting the video links, just come to the blog itself (link should be at the bottom of the email) to see the video.

- With heartfelt condolences to Peyton Manning, I have a big announcement to make. Peyton, you may want to sit down. Man, this is hard. After careful consideration, I'm taking my hater talents to South Beach. No longer will Peyton Manning and his Colts be number one on my most despised sports teams list. They've been there since 2000 (give or take) but they have been shockingly and dramatically usurped by the stellar efforts of LeBron "I flop so embarrassingly often that Vlade Divac is blushing right now" James, Eric "I'm always shocked when a call goes against us, and I have a face that makes you want to punch me" Spolestra, and the rest of the Prima Donnas in Miami. First, I'd like to talk to Peyton directly. Peyton, you had one heck of a run. I mean, eleven years, and not just eleven years in the running, but eleven years uncontested, on top. Nobody came close. I think that it's important for you to know that LeBron really can't carry your jock when it comes to that record. But somehow I have more respect for you now that I do for LeBron. And the breaking point came tonight when he shoved off the Mavericks player, threw himself to the ground, then celebrated when the Maverick was called for the foul. All LeBron does is complain after every call. Even you couldn't complain after every call. His season of ruining his reputation, whining constantly, proving that he didn't have the fortitude to do it all ... you just couldn't compete with this, not at your advanced age. But we'll always have the last decade plus. You'll always have a special part of my heart.

As for you Miami ... Peyton (and all Colts fans) can tell you that nobody can focus their great dislike quite like me. You guys earned it. Thanks for taking professional basketball and making me actually wish I was watching Iverson instead. Also, thanks for moving Kobe up the list of greatest of all time just by being a bunch of whiny little kids. I never wanted either of those things to happen, but your disgraceful performance this year has accomplished it. You've earned it.

- I can't believe how well Fox News and their propaganda infiltrate society. If you haven't caught it, Fox News has been pushing the angle of Obama as an "Absentee President." The basic premise is that he is never in Washington, and always out in the 50 states doing town halls, meeting with people, or overseas meeting with foreign heads of state. So the other day a family member, whom I love very much, stated that they were just not a fan of Obama's because he spends too much time traveling and not enough in Washington. Um ... ARE YOU SERIOUS? I started to get upset with this person until I realized this was just Fox News propaganda crap, and that it was my job to educate this person. Seriously, Bush, Bush Senior, Reagan ... all spent a ton more time on actual vacations than Obama. Dub-Ya might have spent half his presidency in Texas. My family members response was "well I'm sure he was working in Texas." Um ... don't you suppose that Obama is able to work when he's out and about?

I guess my point, before I get too worked up, is that I would think it is a good thing that the President of the whole damn country is going out to visit the whole damn country, not just remaining confined inside the Washington DC echo chamber. And I'd think it's a good thing when the President, who is the Commander in Chief and lead diplomat, goes overseas to meet with people. I'd think this is a part of his job description. I'm far from an Obama apologist, but this is getting really damn dumb. I can't believe that anyone still takes Fox News seriously. And for the love of this country, if you don't like Obama please defend it with real reasons. That's all I ask.

- There is something strangely comforting about the idea that the NFL, NBA, and MLB could all be striking/locking out at the same time by this winter.

- Man the Cubs suck. I'm not even sure "there's always next year" makes me feel better. This team might be so bad that it needs three or four years to be relevant again. Can we fire Hendry yet?

- I'm really excited that Bill Simmons' new project, Grantland.com, launches tomorrow. Sounds like it'll be right up my alley.

- Finally, it'd be sweet if Dallas decided they wanted to beat Miami and the refs, but if they can't it'd also be great if someone just tackled LeBron. Or at least took his man card for that flop. I hope ESPN throws that all over the place.